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0 The Ghana Health Service has urged the populace to be vigilant and hygienic to end the incidence of cholera in the country after the death toll from the outbreak increased to 37.
According to the Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Franklyn Asiedu-Bekoe, although there are more suspected cases, there is a decline in admitted cases.
The cholera outbreak, which began in the Greater Accra Region in October 2024, remains in Central, Western, Ashanti, and Eastern Regions.
The death toll as of January 1 stands at 37. The Western Region remains the hardest-hit area, reporting the highest number of mortalities.
Currently, the GHS has enhanced its approach to curbing the outbreak which has resulted in more people reporting cases though mild in nature.
Dr. Franklyn Asiedu- Bekoe maintains the risk factors have not abated, hence the need for the general public to stay safe.
“I will say that for now, the surge in cases is on the low side, which is good. As at yesterday, we are not getting any more cases. The two additional deaths by the last count were from the Western Region. We are not getting more severe cases.
“When you talk of suspected cases, there is a little surge, but that is good because when you have more awareness people tend to report but we are getting mild cases so we are getting a decline in admissions and hopefully we won’t get any more severe cases, and we will say the outbreak is on a decline,” he said.
Dr Asiedu-Bekoe further noted that his outfit has successfully completed the 2 phases of the sub-national Oral Cholera Vaccine campaign in 18 sub-districts, thus there are no plans for further vaccination campaigns now.
‘‘… so we need to come clear with evidence of severity of cholera situation in our country. And the data that Ghana has doesn’t support a severe cholera situation, but we made a case for the vaccine. But the ICG that evaluates the severity of cholera in countries thinks that we don’t belong in that category, looking at our cholera situation. So our last request was not granted. They think we do not qualify,” he explained.
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